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Sarah Gorvin

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Sarah

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Gorvin

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Sarah Gorvin has been with the Republican Eagle for two years and covers education, business and crime and courts. She graduated from the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities in 2010 with a journalism degree.

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Jarrod DeMond is just 29 years old. But the Red Wing resident has been doing custom upholstery for nearly 15 years. DeMond's mother, Tammy Kokott, owned a custom upholstery business in DeMond's native southern Illinois. Because it was a family business, "you're always helping out," DeMond said. Now DeMond is bringing his experience to Red Wing. Kokott recently retired, and DeMond opened JDeMond's Custom Upholstery July 1. "I decided that I wanted to do that," he said.

For many local young people, hiking to the top of a 50-foot cliff and jumping off into Lake Byllesby below is a thrill.The problem, Goodhue County Sheriff's Office Patrol Commander Kris Johnson said, is that the cliff is on private land and it's considered trespassing to be there."You can't be someplace where you're not welcome to be," he said. "It's pretty clearly marked that it's private."

Red Wing Downtown Main Street has been hosting Crazy Days - where downtown merchants hold special sales and display merchandise on the sidewalks - for years. Previously, the event brought huge crowds, clowns, balloons and even closed off streets. But in the last five years, Crazy Days has been, well, a little less crazy.

A level three predatory offender who planned to move to Red Wing and register his address as "homeless," was sentenced Monday to 21 months in prison for failing to register. Joseph Upsher Jr., 57, entered an Alford plea - a form of a guilty plea where the defendant does not admit guilt, but admits a jury could reasonably find him guilty - in Goodhue County District Court Monday.

Red Wing Farmers Market is now accepting Electronic Benefit Transfer cards so that people participating in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program can buy fresh and local fruits, vegetables and other products. The farmers market officially unveiled the new service at the beginning of June, president John Anderes said. He said the main goal is to get lower-income people eating healthy foods.

Several members of Red Wing High School FFA spoke during Monday's public comment period, raising concerns about their access to the FFA greenhouses and animal labs over the summer. Red Wing FFA alumna Leslie Sandey told School Board members that following former FFA adviser Chris Sheehan resignation July 2, the students have not been able to access the greenhouses to take care of the plants and rabbits. "The principal has revoked the students' access," Leslie Sandey said, referring to RWHS Principal Beth Borgen.

Emily Behrens has always loved to travel. From a young age, the Red Wing native spent plenty of time away from her hometown. "I've never been the kid who is homesick," Behrens said. From third grade through 10th grade, Behrens spent weeks each summer at Concordia Language Camp in Bemidji, Minn., learning German. She even reached near-fluency in that language. "Just being there and meeting kids from all over the world and being able to speak a language and knowing I was able to communicate in a different area, it intrigued me. It really did," Behrens said.

Red Wing School Board voted 5-0 to approve hiring consulting firm Springsted Inc. to help the district with its long-range facilities planning. "We felt that we need a game-changer in terms of who's leading this project," Supt. Karsten Anderson said of hiring Springsted. Before the failed 2012 facilities bonding referendum, the district hired architecture firm DLR to study the current buildings and put together options for renovations. Now, DLR will work with Springsted and construction company Kraus Anderson on a new long-range plan for the district.

For 13 years, hairstylists Teri Rolen, Lisa Hewes and Barb Wangen worked side by side at The Salon. But in early 2013, owner Cory Axelson decided to sell the South Tyler Road building and discontinue the business, the three women said. That, they said, was the impetus for them to start their own salon, something they have wanted to do for some time. "We wanted our own direction," Wangen said. "It's always been our dream. We've been dear friends for many years."